D for Diana
by ESpencer
Summary: Story of Gone told through the eyes of Diana. Will explore all chapters in Gone through the POV of everyone's favorite brunette. New chapters will be posted as soon as possible. Rated T for violence in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

1. Gone

I was sitting in the counselor's office at Coates, staring at the very unfortunate looking Mr. Negry. Over the semester break I had written to my father, once again asking him to pull me out of Coates. Once again he had refused.

"Now Diana, your father insists that you stay at Coates Academy for the next semester. Come on now, is it really so bad?"

I had a response to his question, but it was not what he wanted to hear so I held my tongue.

"Just stay at Coates for one more semester. It's the best solution. Your father will be happy, your friends will be happy, _I _will be happy…" Oh I bet you will. "Everyone's happy!"

"I'm not happy." I replied finally.

Mr. Negry sighed and looked at me seriously. "Well maybe you're incapable of being happy."

I grabbed my bag off the floor and stalked out of the office. Caine was waiting for me just outside the door.

"So how'd it go?"

"If you have to ask it did not go well." He sighed with obvious relief. I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, we can still catch the end of lunch if we hurry."

"Oh yes, because the cafeteria food is worth hurrying for." I didn't bother to disguise my displeasure.

He grabbed my hand, and after considering for a moment I let him. He dragged me to the cafeteria and sat me down next to a girl named Courtney. He sat across from me, next to Drake.

"So Ladris will we finally be spared your presence?" Drake asked, just a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"In your dreams Merwin."

"Hah, the only reason you would be in my dreams was if I was having a nightmare."

I nonchalantly turned my head back to my food. Today they were serving a slab of thick meat that they called steak. I cut into the meat nonetheless, it was so undercooked I feared I might get food poisoning. I pushed the steak to the side and picked at the vegetables. Courtney practically talked my ear off about all of the dumb stuff she was going to do over the summer. The bell couldn't have rang soon enough. I collected my wing and hurried off to the science classroom.

I took my seat next to Anthony, a boy who'd had a major crush on me since my first day here. Usually I didn't give him the time of day, but sometimes it was fun to tease him. Unfortunately for him today was not one of those days.

"Good afternoon everyone, my name is Ms. Marx. I will be your sub for today seeing as Mr. Gelb is still in the hospital." I struggled to hold in my laughter at the sight of fat and sweaty Mr. Gelb rolling helplessly down the stairs. Priceless.

But then a new vision entered my mind. Not that of Mr. Gelb tumbling down the stairs, but of my mother toppling down the staircase in our home. Landing at the bottom, her eyes open and twitching. I shook the image from my mind.

When my mind returned to the classroom everyone was laughing nervously and looking around the room. Not wanting to seem unaware I looked around to, though I had no idea what was going on.

"Did you see that?" Anthony whispered.

"See what?"

"The sub, she just disappeared." Just then my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out. Caine of course.

"_Is your teacher gone?_" He asked, his tone serious.

"If by gone you mean obviously not in the room then yes."

"_That's what I mean._" He snapped.

"So I'm guessing your teacher pulled a Houdini too."

"_Yeah. Meet me in the dining hall in five. Grab Computer Jack on your way._"

"What for?"

"_We have things to do, plans to set up." _

"Ok maybe I'm understanding you wrong. Are you suggesting that all of the teachers have mysteriously disappeared?"

"_I'm not suggesting it. It's true. Five minutes Diana, tick tock."_

The dial tone sounded. I lowered the phone from my ear. The other kids were starting to get panicky now. The more time wore on, the more evident it became that the teacher was not coming back. I got my phone out again to call Computer Jack, but the call didn't go through. I tried again and again, but it did not work. I shoved it back into my bag and slipped quietly out of the classroom to find him myself.


	2. Chapter 2

2. Driving

I was sitting on the grass, in the center of the Coates driveway. Caine was standing above me, calling orders to the kids who were driving around, around, and around again. He was trying to train them to drive and was not having much success.

"I think they're doing better." He said, nodding slightly.

"You're right. That kid Ben has only crashed three or four times. I'd say that's a big improvement."

"We need to be able to move Diana. We need to get to Perdido Beach before someone else takes over. So either hop in a car yourself or help pick out the best drivers."

"Are you really willing to risk your neck climbing into a car with these bozos?"

"I am willing to risk it if it means we are going to get to Perdido Beach faster."

"Are you willing to risk _my _neck by letting me into a car with one of these bozos?"

Caine blushed and chewed on his thumb nail. "I guess not."

Just then there was a loud screeching noise and a cry of pain. It appeared that one of the young driver's had accidentally hit Drake. "You know it's really too bad they weren't driving faster." I said.

Drake picked himself up off the ground and furiously yanked the kid out of the car. He raised his hand over his head repeatedly and brought it down with shocking violence on the boy's head.

"Oh boy." Caine groaned. "Drake I need that kid conscious. He's one of the better drivers!"

"If he's one of the good ones then I am staying far away from the bad ones!"

"Drake go stand next to McKenzie!" I called. McKenzie had repeatedly crashed, dented, and nearly blown up her vehicle several times.

"Go to hell Ladris!"

"See you there." I replied, waving him off.

"Call Jack," Caine said, "See if he can figure out how to hot wire one of these cars."

"I can't, my phone doesn't work."

"What do you mean it doesn't work?"

"I mean that since the adults disappeared all of the phones have been down."

"Don't be ridiculous. I called you right after my teacher disappeared and it worked fine."

"Well when I tried to call Jack, like thirty seconds later, it didn't work."

Caine fished his phone out of his pocket and hit one of his contacts. When it didn't work he lowered it from his ear and threw it against one of the nearby fountains.

"Way to be melodramatic Caine." He spun around a irate look on his face. "Take a chill pill. I'm sure Jack can figure out a way to fix it."

"He won't be able to fix it, if we have no way to contact him, to tell him that it needs fixing!"

"You know there's this new thing people use when they need someone. It's called walking. I find that it's very affective."

"Well than, why don't you _walk _up to his room and _walk _him back down here. Now!"

"Why don't you go stick your fat head underwater, and stay there until I count to a million."

He closed his eyes and massaged his temples. "Get. Jack. Now."

"Fine. Jack!!!!!!" I yelled as loud as I could.

Caine looked annoyed, "What happened to your walking plan, huh?"

"I thought this would annoy you more. Jack!!!!!!"

Computer Jack scurried out of the building and came to an abrupt halt in front of us. "Jack we need you to fix the phones." Caine said.

"Your welcome," I muttered.

Jack nodded rapidly. "Yeah, sure Caine. Whatever you want. I'll need lot's of equipment though. A decent router system, a-"

"Yeah, I don't care. Just do whatever you need to do to get my cell working."

"Well technique yours won't work even if he does get the phones working. If you recall the incident when you chucked yours at a fountain, I think you'll know why."

"Thank you, Diana." He said, obviously resigned.

There was another long screech of tires, and suddenly I was hoisted off the ground. I hovered in the air as a Prius passed directly underneath me and crashed into a tree. I looked at Caine, who's hand was stretched out towards me. He let me drop, and I landed hard on my butt. Caine extended his hand and helped me up.

"Thanks," I said quietly. The care that had nearly killed me was on fire and the driver was struggling to get out.

Caine looked from the car, to me, and back again. "We have work to do."


	3. Chapter 3

3. Perdido Beach

I was sitting in the back of a convertible, next to Caine, wearing my nicest Coates outfit. I absolutely loathed the uniform. I had practically begged Caine to let me wear something else, _anything _else, but he had refused. He wanted everyone to look uniform he said, he said. It wasn't really that bad, he said. Well _he _didn't have to wear one. I was stuck in my stuffy Coates uniform while he got to wear a soft yellow sweater, and a nice pair of sunglasses he had stolen from the headmaster's office.

Our driver, a twelve year old boy named Adrian, was creeping along at just under ten miles per hour. "Gee, at this pace we should make it there by a quarter past eternity!" I gripped. Drake rammed the BMW he was driving into the back of our car, obviously impatient. My head snapped forward and hit the seat in front of me.

Drake rolled down the window and laughed openly. I stuck my hand high in the air and flipped him off. Caine turned and yelled, "Knock it off Drake."

Drake rolled the window back up, still smiling and shaking his head. We passed the grocery store on the edge of town, it wouldn't be too long now. Caine unbuckled his seatbelt, eager for our arrival. "Not wise," I muttered.

"I don't really want to hear it Diana. Not today."

"Fine, I don't care if you break your neck trying to look cool. Hey if you're going to go out you might as well go out with style."

He used his telekinesis to unbuckle my seatbelt as well. "Much better. You still don't look as cool as me, but I'd still say it's an improvement."

"Hilarious," I said without laughing, "I'm laughing on the inside believe me."

Caine's shoulders slumped slightly; mission accomplished. We drove into the town plaza. A loose group of kids were gathering around, staring in awe at our pageantry of vehicles. I smirked, despite myself. Seeing the looks on all their faces, so worried, so unsure, so _scared._

The car stopped, not quite smoothly. Caine pulled his sunglasses off and tossed them on the seat. "Showtime," he said, flashing a grin.

"Introducing the narcissistic, the deceiving, the always controlling, Caine Soren! And the crowd goes wild! Not." I mocked him.

He rolled his eyes, taking no offense to my harshness. He stood up and waved to the crowd like a beauty pageant queen. I rolled my eyes. He jumped out of the car. Before he addressed the crowd he turned to me. "Smile, look reassuring. Lure them into a false sense of calm."

"Whatever you say Fearless Leader." He raised his eyebrows skeptically, I flashed a movie star smile. "Better."

He began his speech that I had helped him rehearse the night before. Already knowing what he was saying I didn't bother to pay attention. I lazily searched the crowd. Most of the older kids were in the front, the younger ones cowered near the back. There were a few of the older kids at the very back of the crowd though. Two boys and a girl. The one boy was, frankly, quite strange. His clothes and hair were untidy and loud. The second boy was tall, handsome, with an air that made him seem older than he was. The girl was whispering to the handsome boy. I tried to read her lips, but was unsuccessful. She was pretty; nice hair, nice face. In her eyes there was an intelligence that seemed entirely her own.

I looked away from them. Tried to focus in on what Caine was saying. When I looked though, he was no longer standing in front of the crowd. It took me a moment to find him. He was kneeling before a small boy in the crowd. He was obviously trying to comfort the child, who was near tears. I laughed at how cliché it was. A lion trying to comfort a lamb.

"If it's okay with everyone here, I would like to borrow your church." Caine was saying. "I would like to down with your leaders, in the presence of our Lord, and discuss my plan, and any changes you want to make. Are there maybe, oh, a dozen people who could speak for you."

A beefy boy carrying a baseball bat stepped forward. He spoke with Caine briefly. He was a bully no doubt. He fit the stupid thug stereotype perfectly. He would be easy to manipulate. If not by force, by lust. Even the bullies got lonely sometimes.

A small red haired girl stepped forward and squeaked, "Sam Temple here went into a burning building to rescue a little girl. He can speak for me anyway."

A few other people agreed and the crowd parted, revealing the handsome blond boy at the back. _Temple. _The name sounded familiar but I couldn't quite place it.

Caine stepped towards him. "Sam is it? It sounds like you truly are a hero. Are you related to our school nurse, Connie Temple?"

"She's my mother." Sam said.

That was it. Nurse Temple's little boy. Caine spoke with him for a little longer before turning towards the church. Several people, a few from Coates, a few of the townies, followed. I intercepted Sam at the door of the church. I held out my hand, making sure it was cool and not at all sweaty.

He took it, I saw the coldness register in his face. "I'm Diana. Diana Ladris." I squeezed his hand, making it impossible for him to let go.

"Sam Temple," he replied. I barely noticed. I focused on the reading. I felt a little electrical current spring out of his arm and enter my hand.

"Ah," I said when I realized exactly how many bars he was. I let his hand fall, and tried to disguise my smirk. "Well, well. I guess we'd better go in. We don't want to leave Fearless Leader without followers."

I strutted into the church and took my place on Caine's right side. Drake stood to his left, smiling maliciously. Caine introduced us all, leaving Computer Jack last. After that Caine launched into his big speech about maintaining order, and establishing a system of government. Yeah, right. The Perdido Beach kids were bigger idiots than I had originally thought if they were buying any of what Caine was saying.

There was a brief resistance from the fat boy, Orc, and his toadies. Caine handled it easily, with no help needed from me or Drake. Caine announced everyone's jobs: Drake was sheriff, Mary Terra-something was the brat-sitter, Chubby and company would assist Drake as deputies.

Chubby and co. didn't take too kindly to this idea. Harold, or Howard, refused to work under Drake. Fury flashed in Caine's face, it lasted only a second. "Here we go." I whispered to myself.

Whatever Caine was planning for the rebellious bullies I didn't want to see it. I focused on Sam instead. It was a curious little thing, gauging the power levels of others. It wasn't as easy as Caine seemed to think. It wasn't like I just had to touch someone and I suddenly saw two or three bars. No, it was much more complicated. I didn't see their power, I _felt _it. In the instant that I touched them it was like I borrowed there power. For just a second I could feel the power, or lack thereof, coursing through my body. After I felt it, it was easy to tell how many bars someone had.

I had only experienced the incredible jolt of power I got from Sam a few times before. Whenever Caine touched me. Perhaps that was the reason I didn't object to his touching me so often. I _liked _the feeling of invincibility it gave me.

"Help me, help me!" Someone bellowed, breaking through my thoughts. I large kid was rolling on the floor in obvious agony, blood bursting out of his shoulder. The massive wooden crucifix was on the ground in a heap of rubble.

I bit back a smile and returned my focus to Sam. The pretty little blonde whispered something to him. Again I tried to read her lips to no avail. The kid continued to scream, so loud it was hard for me to hear myself think.

Caine obviously annoyed with it too said, "This is terrible. Does anyone know first aid? Sam? Your mother was a nurse."

The blond girl stood up, grabbed her little brother, and ran out of the church. Sam didn't seem to have a clue about first aid. Caine looked at me briefly, as if he hoped I might have a solution. I gave him a look that said, 'This is your problem not mine'.

A short brunette girl stood and went to the screaming boy's aid. Caine appointed her nurse. I glided over to Caine and whispered, "Way to lure them into a false sense of calm. I think we should keep an eye on little miss prissy. She doesn't seem to like you."

Caine smiled slightly, and nodded to me. "This meeting is adjourned till we can help our wounded friend…what is his name? Cookie?"

Caine beckoned Drake and I down the aisle. I made sure to look poised, confident, and above all else stylish. Drake stopped half way to give orders to his new minions. I paid him no mind. Caine steered us towards town hall, our new place of honor.


	4. Chapter 4

4. Astrid the Genius

I walked out of the church smiling. The Perdido Beach kids had fallen so easily into our snare. Caine walked purposefully towards town hall, Drake hot on his heels. I hung back slightly, not wanting to make my movements seem rushed. It was then that I realized: Jack wasn't with us.

I stopped and looked around quickly. I spotted him standing just outside the church, talking to the pretty blond girl. I sauntered towards them, trying to appear nondescript. I watched them from behind a nearby tree. I was far enough away that I would not be seen, but could still eavesdrop on their conversation. Jack had obviously asked where the rest of the Coates kids had gone; the girl pointed to the town hall. She went on to ask about the cell phone system. Jack willingly seized the opportunity to brag about his techie lifestyle.

Finally Astrid, I had remembered her name finally, said something useful. "Okay, Jack. What is Caine up to?"

"What?" Jack replied. Do not say anything, do not say anything, I commanded silently.

"What's he up to? You're a smart kid, you must have some idea."

Abruptly I was furious with Astrid. She had no place to pry information out of Jack. Who did she think she was, trying to act all suspicious. And what was up with that freak little brother of hers? He looked more like a brainwashing alien than a human being.

"I know he's up to something," Astrid said. Even though Astrid was completely correct she still didn't have the right to make that assumption. "You know what I think?"

Jack shook his head. That kid was going to have some issues with discretion when he got older. Could he truly not see that Astrid was playing him like a cheap piano?

"I think you're a nice person. I think you're very smart, so people don't always treat you very well. They're scared of your talent. And they try to use you."

Jack nodded, it took all my willpower not to storm out from behind my hiding place. How the hell did Astrid think this kid was smart? He was the most daft person I had ever met!

"But I don't that kid Drake is a nice person. He's not is he?" Jack nodded, I couldn't really disagree with Astrid here. Drake's nastiness was plain to see. "He's a bully isn't he? Drake, I mean."

Jack inclined his head slightly, I rolled my eyes. "I thought so. And Caine?"

Here it comes. Jack was about to blow the whole operation because he wanted to vent about his feelings. What. A. Wimp. "Caine, there's something wrong with him isn't there?"

A thought occurred to me. If Jack was willing to rat out Caine, then he was willing to rat out me. I wasn't going to let _Jack _ruin my chances of getting a reading off of Astrid.

"He can do things. He can-"

Time to end this little tea party. "Jack. There you are." I said, both of them jumped. "I hope your little brother is all right. The way you rushed out of there, I thought maybe he was sick."

"No. No he's fine." She said a little too quickly. A glanced at the small child, he didn't blink when I met his gaze. Creepy.

"He's lucky to have you," I said. I reached for Astrid's hand, a gesture of comfort to the untrained eye. I felt the little sparks start to travel up my arm, but then she tore away from me. I did not smile, didn't want to give her the satisfaction. Jack shifted his weight uncomfortably, obviously embarrassed at being caught.

The silence was broken by a large backhoe driving down the street. A Mexican kid was driving it, without much skill involved.

"Who is that?" I asked condescendingly.

"Edilio," Astrid replied shortly.

"What's he doing?" The backhoe dug into the ground and pulled out giant heaps of earth. "What's he doing?!" I repeated.

"I think he's burying the dead." Astrid said.

"Caine didn't tell him to do that." I said snobbishly.

"What does it matter? It needed to be done. In fact, I think I'll go and see if I can help. You know, if you think that would be okay with Caine."

I put on my most menacing expression. No one, especially not some blonde white trash, talked to me like that. "You seem like a nice girl Astrid," yeah sure. "I'll bet you're on of those brainy, Lisa Simpson types, all full of great ideas and worried about saving the planet or whatever. But things changed. This isn't your old like anymore. It's like… you know what it's like? It's like you used to live in a really nice neighborhood, and now you live in a really though neighborhood. You don't look tough, Astrid." Not tough, like me.

"What caused it? The FAYZ. Do you know?" She said, standing a little straighter, obviously trying to look tough.

I laughed at her failed attempt. "Aliens. God. A sudden shift I the space-time continuum. I heard someone call you Astrid the Genius, so you've probably thought of explanations I can't even guess at. It doesn't matter. It's happened. Here we are." All of it was true. Astrid's smarts wouldn't help her a bit in this new, much harsher world. She was going to have to find that out the hard way.

"What does Caine want?" Astrid asked.

It irked me slightly that she didn't back down from her attempts. Could she not see that I was quite obviously superior to her. That I had done things, things she would never dare to do. The image of my mother at the bottom of the stairs flashed through my mind again. Eyes searching, lips twitching.

"What does Caine want? He wants what he wants. And he'll get it." I realized the double meaning in my words. Caine obviously wanted me, but I wouldn't give in so easily. " Now, run off to the funeral over there. Stay out of my way. And take care of your little brother." I said in the most threatening tone I could manage. For a moment My eyes locked with Astrid. It was easy to read the fear there. I smiled internally. Astrid the Genius, afraid of me. "Jack?" I said sweetly.

"Yes." He replied quickly.

"Come," I ordered. He followed like a well trained poodle. I added some extra swagger to my walk, knowing that Astrid would still be watching. Watching, and both fearing and envying, my every move.

**Author's Note: **

**Sorry this update was so soon, I meant to keep you all waiting in suspense. It's my HS's spring break this week so I had lots of spare time. I know this chapter is kind of dull, and sorely lacking in sarcasm, but I thought it was time to emphasize Diana's catty side. Next chapter will be more fun, I promise! **

**~ESpencer**


	5. Chapter 5

5. Town Hall

"Where did you go?" Caine asked, he was sitting in a large maroon chair, formerly belonging to the mayor of Perdido Beach.

"I went to get Jack," I said nonchalantly.

"And where was Computer Jack?"

"Nowhere. He was just wandering, lost." Why was I covering for this little worm? "I ran into that girl. The blond with the strange brother."

"Yes?"

"They call her Astrid the Genius," not a title one would really be proud of. "I think she's involved with that kid, the fire kid."

"His name is Sam." I knew that. Obviously. It wasn't easy to forget the name of the only other four bar in the FAYZ.

"I think Astrid's someone we need to keep an eye on."

"Did you read her?" Caine asked, he leaned forward in his chair like I was about to announce that he had won the lotto.

"I got a partial read, so I'm not sure." I said, drawing out the suspense, testing how far I could push him.

"Why am I begging for information here? Just tell me."

I waited another second or two before saying, "She's on about two bars."

"Any idea what her powers might be? Lighter? Speeder? Chameleon? Not another Dekka, I hope. She was difficult. And hopefully not a Reader like you Diana." Ah, some useful information. Caine had just confirmed that I wasn't here just because of his little crush on me. I was useful to him, in more ways than one. For now.

"No idea. I'm not even sure she's two bars."

"Put her on the list, Jack. Astrid the Genius: two bars. With a question mark."

Jack flipped out his PDA (Personal Doom Archives, as I called it) and began typing feverishly. Tired of standing I plopped down on the couch, and began rifling through the magazines there.

"That went better than I hoped," Caine was saying. "I predicted there'd be some local bully we'd have to deal with. And I said there would be a natural leader. We get the bully working for us, and we keep an eye on the leader until we're ready to deal with him."

"I'll keep an eye on him. He's cute," I said, just to bother Caine. I was really rather indifferent to Sam Temple. Besides, it seemed he had a liking for blondes…

"Did you get a reading on him?"

"No. I didn't have a chance." The longer Caine needed me, the longer I was safe from Drake. It was critical that I remain useful. If I gave Caine the information he needed right of the bat, my worthiness would dwindle.

"Do it as soon as you can. You saw the way everyone looked at him? And when I asked for nominations, he was the first name mentioned. I don't like it, his being Nurse Temple's son. That's a bad coincidence. Get a read on him. If he has the power, we may not be able to wait to deal with him." Caine said darkly.

"Wow, you know you kind of sound like the godfather. It's terrifying, truly." He glared at me. "No, really! I'm shaking in my boots."

He sighed, "Where's Drake?"

"Probably bossing around his new posse. I think we should start calling him the Mean Machine. It has a nice ring to it, huh?"

Caine rolled his eyes, "Jack, go find Drake."

Jack gulped but hurried out of the room. "Remind me why we keep him around." I said, as Jack jumped at the slamming of the door.

"Because he is the Coates version of Astrid the Genius."

"Blah," I said. I stuck a finger down my throat and making a gagging face.

"You really don't like her do you?"

"She thinks she's so smart, you know? Yet she's not smart enough to see that she could have a brain the size of a watermelon, and it wouldn't make a bit of difference in the FAYZ."

"I guess. She's pretty though, really nice eyes. She's obviously smart enough to get Sam on her side. It's kind of like what you do with me, Diana."

"Do not compare me to her."

"Why don't you want to be compared to her? I mean she's pretty, smart, talented…"

"Why don't you take your comparisons and shove them up your ass, where they belong." I got up from the coach, seething.

"Where are you going?" He asked, mockingly.

"I don't know. Maybe to see if Sam Temple wants to compare me to Astrid. Though first I'd have to give him something to compare with…"

Caine stiffened, "Panda found you a house." I raised my eyebrows in mock curiosity. "It's on Golding Street, you know near the school?"

"I know it. I suppose I could stop there for a little while. I am kind of tired, and I'd love to get out of this uniform." I said, stretching luxuriously. I could have sworn his mouth was watering.

"I could stop by later. You know, to see how you're settling in."

"Whatever." I replied, waving dismissively. I stalked out of the room with feline grace; knowing it would be a while before Caine was ready to see me, or anyone else.


	6. Chapter 6

**6. Bully Row**

**The house on Golding Street that had been selected for me suited my taste quite nicely. It was a spacious, two story, beige house. There were three bedrooms, three baths, a kitchen, dining room, and living room. The backyard had a deck, with stairs leading down to a meticulously trimmed lawn, and a fountain. **

**I moved through the house slowly, counting the steps up to the master bedroom. I ran a bath, willingly sinking into the steaming water. When I was done I wrapped a fluffy white towel around my body, and used another to dry my hair. I was pleased to find that all of my clothes and belongings had arrived safely. I selected a short black sundress and a matching sunhat, to wear outside. I was not surprised when I heard Caine let himself in. Instead of calling out to him, I let him explore the house a bit. When he entered the kitchen he saw me sitting at the deck table and smiled. **

**He was still wearing the stupid yellow sweater, and white pants. His light clothing contrasted mine in everyway. He seemed to notice this. "Who's funeral are you going to?"**

"**No funeral. I just don't pretend to be something I'm not." I said, stretching my face up to the sun. **

"**You think I'm pretending? You know they say yellow is the color of confidence. I think that speaks for itself." He said, inspecting his sweater. **

"**Mm-hm, you're so modest too." **

"**Whatever, you cannot get on my nerves today. Especially since I now technically rule the FAYZ."**

"**There's that modesty again. Don't try to get all high and mighty with me, Caine. I'm not like Drake. You can't manipulate me into doing whatever you want."**

"**I'm not trying to force you into anything. I'm just going to try and convince you to succumb to your desire." **

"**Exactly what do I desire?" I asked, leaning forward to look in his eyes.**

"**Me." **

"**Two words Caine. Yeah. Right." **

"**There's no use trying to hide it D. You can't continue to deny that we are meant to be together." He said, simply. He reached for my hand, but I yanked it out of his reach.**

"**I'm not even going to acknowledge that last sentence. Why'd you call me D?"**

"**I don't know I thought it would be a cute nickname. D for Diana."**

"**Thank you, I had pieced that much together for myself. It's also one of the worst nicknames I have ever heard."**

"**Would you prefer it if I called you baby?"**

"**On second thought, I kind of like D." I said. Words could not describe the mortification I would feel if he walked around calling me baby. **

**He scooted his chair closer to mine, and rested his hand on my knee. I could see in his eyes that he longed to move it up my thigh, over my hips, and…**

"**Will you please stop looking at me like you are picturing me naked." I said, trying to deny that the feeling of his hand on my knee wasn't sending jolts through my body. **

**Caine blushed, "I wasn't-"**

"**She's dead," Drake said. He strode in from the kitchen, his face was expressionless.**

"**Who? Who's dead?" **

**Author's Note:**

**Just a little bit of suspense to end with. Though you can probably already guess what is coming next, if you're familiar with the books. I thought I would add a few hints of romance into this chapter. Believe me I'm dying to add more, but I want to stay true to the books. Also I have lent out my Gone book, so it could be a while before I post anything relating to specific scenes in Gone. Hopefully I will get it back soon! **

**I don't own any of the rights to Gone etc. etc. Keep up the reviews, they inspire me constantly. Let me know if you have any suggestions, plot or otherwise. Thanks!**

**~E**


	7. Chapter 7

7. Plotting

"It just happened," Drake announced. He walked into the mayor's office looking directly at Caine. I doubted if he even realized I was here. Though when you hated someone as much as Drake hated me it was hard to miss them. I listened with half an ear as I skimmed the pages of the latest _Seventeen_.

"What happened?" Caine asked anxiously. He was chewing his thumb nail; the most annoying bad habit I had yet to encounter.

"The two girls you had me following. They both just took the big jump. They poofed, as the idiot Quinn says."

"Just as I predicted. Just like I said." Caine said, rising from his chair. Gee, maybe you're a psychic now too, I felt like saying. Caine seemed genuinely concerned though, so I held my tongue.

He walked over to me and snatched the magazine out of my hand. "You think maybe you could pay attention?" Now I regretted biting back my retort.

I sighed and stretched luxuriously, knowing that even in this moment of stress he would be watching me. "Don't get pissy with me, Caine." I warned. "I'm the one who said we needed start collecting birth certificates."

"Yeah. That was a good idea. A very good idea." It was hard for me to tell if he was really complementing my enormous tact, or is he was just trying to get laid.

"Diana's boy Sam was there," Drake edged. I didn't bother to give him the satisfaction of a response. "He was holding the one girl's hand when she bugged. Looking right into her eyes. See, the first girl goes and they all know what's coming at that point. The second girl, she was weepy over it. I was too far off to hear what she said, but you could tell she was basically wetting herself."

"Sadism," I sang. "The enjoyment of another person's pain." I'd like to see Drake's face when he took the big jump.

"Words don't scare me," Drake said. He leaned closer to me slightly, trying to look menacing. I wasn't worried though. He wouldn't try a thing while Caine was this close.

"You wouldn't be a psychopath if they did, Drake." I challenged.

"Knock it off, you two," Caine said. He returned to his chair, a dark look on his face. "It's November seventeenth, I have five days to figure out how to beat this."

"Five days," Drake repeated, for no particular reason it seemed. "I don't know what we'd do if you bugged out, Caine."

He looked at me, his eyes filled with hate. I shivered slightly. A world without Caine would be no world at all. For me at least. Drake would use it as an opportunity to take me out, along with anyone else who resisted him.

"What?" Caine said sharply. I looked up to see who he was talking to. Computer Jack had entered the room, panting slightly. He was holding Nurse Temple's laptop. We all looked to him expectantly.

"I hacked it," he said. As if he had just found a cure for cancer rather than just managing to break the code of a middle-aged, probably technology retarded, school nurse. "Nurse Temple's laptop."

"What? Oh. Great. I have bigger problems. Give it to Diana. And get out." He added. Sure, Caine. I'd love to rifle through the private diary entries of our school nurse. I honestly have nothing better to do with my time.

Drake and Caine continued to talk while I read through page after page of boring diary entries.

Wow. I had never been able to fully comprehend the extreme monotony of being a middle-aged woman. Getting old must suck. Mostly she talked about Sam. _Today Sam came home from school with a skinned knee. I hope it doesn't get infected. _Boring… As the pages wore on she talked more about the Coates kids. My name made a brief appearance, but it was mostly Drake and Caine.

Caine slammed his fist into the desk, startling me from my reading.

"I don't want close enough, you idiot! I'm trying to figure this out. You know it's not just me, Drake. We all get older. You'll be there someday too, waiting to disappear."

"April twelfth, just one minute after midnight, Drake." I chirped in. April could not come soon enough. "Not that I've memorized the exact day, hour, and minute or…" I stopped as the words on the computer screen filled my mind.

"What?" Caine asked, there was an edge in his voice.

I didn't bother to answer. I knew that I would have to prove Sam's birthday before he would even think of believing me. _I _wasn't even sure I believed it yet. I got up and opened the filing cabinet where we kept all of the birth certificates. I pulled out the little box that had been retrieved from Nurse Temple's house.

"No one's opened it yet?" I asked in annoyance.

"I was more interested in Nurse Temple's laptop. Why?" Caine asked suspiciously.

The box was locked. I could probably pry it open, but I didn't want to risk breaking a nail. "Be useful, Drake. Break the lock."

He grabbed a small metal letter opener and used it to force the lock open. "This looks like a will. And, ah, this is interesting, a newspaper clipping about the school bus thing we've all heard about. And…here it is." I said. I read the laminated birth certificate quickly; when I finished I didn't bother to stifle my laughter.

"That's enough, Diana." Caine snapped, he was obviously eager to read it himself. I handed it to him, still grinning cheekily.

"November twenty-second," I said through my laughter.

"Coincidence," Caine said sharply.

"He's three minutes older than you." I said; coincidence my ass.

"It's a coincidence. We don't look alike." He said through tightly clenched teeth.

"What's the word for twins who aren't identical?" I asked, pretending to think hard. "Oh yeah, fraternal twins. Same womb, same parents, different eggs." I noted how Caine reddened slightly when I said eggs.

"It's impossible," he whispered. He grew very pale, and I almost felt bad for him. I had never experienced anything like what he was going through right now.

"Neither of you knows your real father," I said gently. "And how many times have you told me you don't seem anything like your parents, Caine?" I was reminded of all the time that we had spent in each other's rooms. Caine developing his powers, me watching him. Sometimes talking after he had demonstrated his new abilities.

"It makes no sense," he said quietly. I felt his hand close around mine. I thought about snatching it away, it was awkward with Drake in the room, but I sensed that he needed me.

"What are you two talking about?" Drake demanded, trying to read the birth certificate as Caine held it in his hand. "It's in the diary too. Nurse Temple. She knew you were a mutant. She suspected you had some kind of impossible power, and she was obviously onto some of the others, as well. She suspected you of causing half a dozen injuries where no one could figure out a cause."

Drake, _finally_ catching on, laughed. It amazed me that he was even able to get dressed in the morning. "Are you saying Nurse Temple was Caine's mother?

Caine's face hardened, his grip on my hand tightened to the point that I could feel the blood coursing through it. "Shut up, Drake."

"Two little boys born on November twenty-second. One stays with his mother. One is taken away, adopted by another family." I hoped my sympathetic tone would make him release my hand, which was now starting to lose feeling.

"She was your mother and she gave you up and kept Sam?" Drake asked. Quite frankly I had been thinking the same thing, I just wasn't stupid enough to say it out loud.

Caine finally released my hand and faced Drake. "Mistake," I chided.

Drake was flung through the air with surprising force. He hit the wall, leaving a slight dent in the plaster. I was careful to keep my expression even. I didn't want to let anyone in on how much I had enjoyed that.

"Remember who's boss, Drake." Caine snarled. "Get up. We have work to do."

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I finally got around to updating. Lies got me totally re-inspired (thank god) and now I'm back and better than ever. Not really though, seeing as this chapter is kind of dull. Enjoy it nonetheless, though. You can fully expect an update soon. Keep up the reviews and suggestions. You guys rock!**

**~E**


	8. Chapter 8

8. Safeway Isn't So Safe Anymore

I crouched uncomfortably behind a bush outside of Ralph's. The idiot Quinn had finally told Caine where Sam was going to be, and so I had been sent to assist in his capture. Beside me in the bush were Orc, Panda, Freddie, Chaz, and Drake. Chaz and Freddie both had the attention span of a rodent, and were now poking each other with sticks.

"Ouch!" Freddie yelped when Chaz nearly took his eye out.

"Sit still or I'll shut you up myself. Permanently." Drake threatened. Needless to say they were much quieter after that.

"Here they come," Panda whispered.

I poked my head above the bush to get a better look. Sam was walking down the street with Astrid and Little Peter. Pete? Who cares. They were smiling, teeth gleaming in the sun like they had just walked off the set of the Brady Bunch. Gag.

"Show me your list," Howard said when they approached the door. His voice was muted slightly from the distance.

"I don't have a list," Astrid replied. Awww, no goodies for you.

Howard lazily looked up from the DVD he was watching. "You need a list. No one goes in without a list."

"Okay, do you have a piece of paper and a pencil?" Sam asked hopefully. Wow, pencil and paper to make a list. What a groundbreaking concept.

"Can they hurry it up? My legs are falling asleep," Chaz griped.

"It just so happens I do, Sam," Howard replied. Astrid wrote quickly and returned the paper. "You can have all the fresh stuff, like produce, that you want. It's all going to go bad. Ice cream is mostly gone, but there might be some popsicles. You like popsicles, Pe-tard?"

"Get on with it," Sam said. At the rate this was going Sam was going to blink out before we got a chance to arrest him.

"If you want canned stuff or, like, pasta or whatever, you have to get special permission from Caine or one of the sheriffs."

"No, Sam. Your request for pasta has been denied." Drake mocked.

"What are you talking about?" Astrid asked. For someone who was supposed to be so smart, Astrid was incredibly slow.

"I'm talking about you can have lettuce and eggs and deli and milk because that's all going to expire soon, but we're saving up stuff like canned soup or whatever that wont spoil." He explained slowly.

"Okay, that makes sense, I guess." Astrid replied.

"Likewise paper products. Everyone gets one roll of toilet paper. So make it last." Howard snapped. "Tampons? What size?"

"Shut up," Sam snarled.

I smirked. "How do tampons even work?" Freddie asked; everyone turned to look at me.

"Why don't you go shove one up your ass and find out." I replied, before climbing out of the bushes.

Drake nodded briefly to Howard as we entered the store and he got up to follow us. We moved in the opposite direction of Sam, hiding out in the shampoo aisle. I pocketed a bottle of Paul Mitchell condition, normally sold for over fourteen dollars.

"Hey, you can't keep that," Howard scolded.

"Hey, you can't stop me," I retorted.

Sam and Astrid moved towards the meat section. Sam climbed behind the counter to play meat-man. "I guess we know what type of role-playing they'd be into," Drake joked.

"Sounds more like something you'd be into, Drake. Lot's of knives," I countered.

Obviously enraged, Drake pushed Panda into view. "You again?" Same asked, as Panda fiddled with his bat like a nervous baton twirler.

Drake crept up behind him and brained him in the back of the head with his baseball bat. Sam fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Astrid screamed and clutched Little Pete closer to herself. Chaz and Freddie grabbed her by the hands, holding her firmly.

"Let's make this as painless as possible boys," I said.

"Diana," Panda said, acknowledging me like he hadn't seen me in days.

"Bag his hands," I snapped at Panda's clueless expression.

Panda quickly wrapped the Mylar around Sam's hands and secured it with a plastic tie. I knelt down in front of him, close enough that I was sure he could smell me. Close enough that I could easily disorient him.

"It's Mylar. It's a reflective surface. So I wouldn't try to turn on you mojo, Sam: you'd fry your own hands." I said with faux sweetness.

"What are you doing," he slurred like he was drunk on New Year's Eve.

"Your brother wants to have a nice conversation with you." I replied, knowing that he would be confused.

"Let Astrid go," he demanded. Well that would be the right thing to do so…I'll do the opposite.

Drake snaked past me and pressed his bat so far into Sam's throat his eyes bulged slightly. "If you're a good little boy, we'll be nice to your girlfriend and her retarded brother. If you cause trouble, I'll mess her up."

The kid started screaming loud enough to make a banshee cover its ears. "Shut that kid up or I'll shut him up for you," Drake snarled. "Grab the big hero and throw him in a grocery cart."

"Better be good," I whispered in his ear as he was dropped mercilessly into the grocery cart.

Sam was wheeled away, leaving me with Astrid. I knelt down beside the kid, who was staring blankly into space. "He's so adorable," I said with all the pleasantness I could muster.

"Thank you?" Astrid replied, furrowing her brow.

"Better hope Sammy is good at twenty questions, or he wont be that way for long." The color drained from Astrid's face.

I stepped closer to her, brushing my nails across her cheek. "Why are you doing this?" She whispered.

"I-" I couldn't finish my sentence. Standing behind Astrid was my mother. She was standing, wearing the same robe she had worn the day she fell down the stairs. She looked sad. I blinked and she was gone. "When I woke up this morning I really felt like ruining someone's life. I'll settle for yours."


	9. Chapter 9

9. School House Torture

Drake and I walked Astrid towards the school. She glared reproachfully at us the whole way. It was at times like these that my hatred for Drake ebbed slightly. As much as I hated to admit it: we were both in the same boat here. Hated by the members of society that suffered from the delusion that everyone in the world was nice.

The school had been deserted from the start of the FAYZ, Drake had made sure this morning. We led Astrid into one of the classrooms and flicked on the lights. I sat on top of one of the desks and crossed my legs in a way that I knew made them look a mile long.

"Have a seat. Read a book, if you want. I know you like that kind of thing." I said, waving my freshly manicured hand at a stack of textbooks.

Astrid flipped one open and grimaced. "Yes, fourth-grade math. I love that kind of thing."

"You know, I really dislike you." I told the truth; my good deed of the day was done.

"Of course you dislike me. I make you feel inferior." she challenged.

I tried to keep myself from laughing. Was she actually being serious? "I don't feel inferior to anyone." I said icily.

"Really? Because usually a person who does bad things recognizes that there's something a little wrong with them. You know? Even if thy suppress it, they know they're sick inside."

W-O-W. The psychiatrist angle didn't work well for Astrid. "Yeah, I feel bad about that. My evil heart and all." I said sticking out my lower lip in a sexy little pout. "Give me your hand."

"What?"

"I promise not to infect you with my badness." As if that were possible. Astrid made the Virgin Mary look like a whore. "Give me your hand."

"No," she said sitting up straighter, as if she had done something defiant. My eyes held hers in a menacing glare.

"Drake, make her give me her hand." Drake came off the wall, grinning hugely. Astrid's hand snapped forward like a snake to hold my hand. I smiled coolly.

"You read people," Astrid said. Realization flooded her voice. "I should have figured it out earlier. You have the power, don't you?" Her voice filled with awe as she said this.

"Yep," I replied nonchalantly. "I read people. But don't worry, I just read power levels, not your secret little thoughts about how much you want to make out with Sam Temple." To my immense satisfaction, Astrid turned cherry red. It was almost cute how innocent she was. Almost. "Oh, please, that's obvious. He's cute. He's brave. He's smart, but not as smart as you. He's perfect."

"He's a friend," she said shyly. Drake and I exchanged a smile. Ugh, Astrid was messing up my relationship with Drake.

"Uh-huh. Well we're about to find out how good a friend he is. He knows we have you. If he doesn't tell Caine everything Caine wants to know, and do whatever Caine tells him to do, Drake here is going to hurt you." I enjoyed the look of fear in her face. Oh my god I was turning into a sadist.

"What?" She squeaked.

I realized that I was going to have to explain this slowly. "Well, that's why we keep Drake around. He enjoys hurting people. We don't keep him around for his conversational skills." Drake shot me a death glare. Ah, that was the Drake I knew and loved. Not. "Go ahead, raise a hand against me, Drake." I challenged, knowing that he wouldn't dare. Not yet, anyway. "Caine would kill you. Better behave yourself, he's all riled up now."

I left Astrid to her fate. She really didn't deserve all the respect she got. I was sure that she had a lot more respect for me now, though. Now that she knew what I was capable of doing. It felt so good to be so bad.

* * *

**Hello, my wonderful readers! I realize that this chapter is short, but the next one will be longer. Promise! I would also like to address the, 'Astrid makes the Virgin Mary look like a whore' line. I am not trying to offend anyone by saying this. I went to Catholic school for _nine_ years, and I totally respect all religious affairs. If you are really and truly averse to this line: PM me. If you put up a good argument I'll gladly take it out. So that's all for now, folks! REVIEW! **

**~E**


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